Cornwall Wrasse Fishing: Annual Lure Trip

Three days in Cornwall, incredible rugged coastal scenery, and three years of a tradition that’s quickly becoming the ultimate highlight of our calendar. Dan and I packed up the van and headed down south for our third annual wrasse trip, and as always, the expectations were sky-high. We were both proper itching to get out onto the granite ledges, scramble down to the water’s edge, and bend a few rods into some proper hard-fighting fish.

Wrasse fishing cornwall — Awesome scenery on the Cornish coast

Cornwall in the summer is something else entirely, but when you add lure fishing into the mix, it takes things to a whole new level. Safe to say, the West Country didn't disappoint.

Big wrasse cornwall — We caught some very nice wrasse

Straight into the Wrasse

No sooner had we clambered down to our very first mark on day one than we were straight into fish from the very off. If you’ve never targeted wrasse on lure tackle, you are seriously missing out.

Rock fishing — We came equipped for some epic rock fishing

Pound for pound, wrasse fight harder than almost anything else swimming in our coastal waters. The moment they feel the hook set, their first instinct is to make an absolute dive for the nearest kelp bed or dark crevice. It’s heart-in-the-mouth stuff where you have to lock down the drag and turn their heads quickly, or you’ll get stripped straight into the rocks.

Lure fishing for wrasse — Another belting wrasse for Dan

Beyond their sheer power, the fish look incredible. Every single wrasse we landed looked like it had escaped from a tropical reef rather than the Atlantic Ocean.

Creature bait wrasse — Another wrasse on a UV Creature Bait

From deep, vibrant oranges and fiery reds to deep emerald greens, and intricate white latticework patterns, no two fish were the same. We were both catching plenty right from the start, keeping the bent-rod action coming thick and fast while trading banter on the rocks.

Wrasse on creature baits — Wrasse and lots of laughs

The Winning Setup at HQ

After a hectic first session, we headed back to campsite HQ to get organised, sort out our tackle, and prep for the next tide. Sitting around the table with a cold drink, we reflected on what was giving us the edge. While we had a whole arsenal of hard lures and metals in the bags, the clear standout tactic for the trip was fishing creature baits on a Texas rig.

Hot plate campsite — Hot plate feasts every night!

Wrasse live in the nastiest, snaggiest ground imaginable, so keeping your gear weedless is essential if you want to bring any lures home. Our setup was stripped-back, efficient, and lethal:

* Weight: A 17g cone weight (bullet weight) sliding free on the leader to help pop the lure over submerged boulders.

* Hook: A sharp 1/0 EWG (Extra Wide Gap) hook, skin-trapped into the soft plastic to keep it completely weedless.

* Lure: Soft plastic creature baits featuring plenty of moving legs, claws, and appendages to generate vibrations in the swell.

Wrasse fishing lures — Trying to organise the gear at HQ

Fished slowly along the bottom with gentle rod-tip twitches, the strikes were utterly violent. You’d feel a subtle double-tap on the graphite, set the hook, and immediately hold on for dear life as the rod doubled over.

Early Bird Catches the Wrasse

Across the next couple of days, the fishing pattern stayed solid, but timing turned out to be everything. We quickly noticed distinct feed spells linked directly to the sun, with dawn and dusk offering pure magic hours. First light was absolute prime time - as the sun started peeking over the Atlantic horizon and casting a pink glow across the cliffs, the wrasse went on a proper rampage.

Wrasse colours — The colours are beautiful on these fish

By 9:00 AM each morning, like clockwork, the water would clear, the light would penetrate deep into the gullies, and the bite would slow down to a crawl. But absolutely nobody was complaining about that - 9:00 AM was our cue to pack up the rod bags, climb back up the cliff path, and head straight to the local cafe for a massive full English breakfast, endless toast, and a well-earned mug of tea.

A Cornish breakfast each morning at the cafe

Campsite Laughs, Proper Grub, and Looking Ahead

As much as the fishing was top-tier, this annual trip is always about way more than just what’s on the end of the line. We made plenty of time to properly kick back at the campsite each afternoon. There’s nothing quite like cooking up nice food on the stove after a long session on the rocks, putting your feet up, cracking open a few beers, and having a proper good laugh recounting the ones that got away (and the absolute monsters that nearly pulled us in).

It was an amazing few days down in Cornwall—epic lure fishing, stunning scenery, great weather, and brilliant company. It’s hard to believe three years have flown by already, but this trip cemented itself as a permanent fixture for us.

Large wrasse in Cornwall — What an awesome looking fish!

Cannot wait for the next one. Roll on year four—we're already counting down the days!